When A Lover Comes Back
by TutkaKid
Summary: Six years after a bad break-up Ryoma comes back to Japan and Tezuka finds that something major happened in America, how will this change the way they think of each other? What will happen to their love that never really died? YAOI! BOYxBOY TezukaxRyoma
1. Awkward Meetings

**A/n So first chapter of I'm Back. Yes I know the title is really bad but I couldn't think of anything better. SO this story could be anywhere from 3 to 6 chapters depending on how far I can go with the plans forming in my head right now. The updates will be totally random and very different in length, I'll try to respond to any and all reviews sent my way and so . . . yeah.** _Italics_ **are flashbacks.**

***sigh* nope still don't own PoT**

**Warning: YAIO! mentions of prostitution and Fuji, becuase Fuji deserves his own warning. **

**Description: It's been six years since Tezuka Kunimitsu has seen Echizen Ryoma, his ex-lover. Still totally head-over-heels for the young tennis prodigy, what happens when Tezuka encounters a chance meeting with Ryoma's . . . **

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><p>Six years . . . thirty-six months, too many days to count. That's how long it has been since I saw my lover; six long years. I told him that it would be better if he didn't have me wait for him. I thought he would understand that I just didn't want him to feel obligated to come to Japan when he needed to pay attention to his tennis.<p>

Now he is retired, has been for a year, but I haven't been able to speak to him. He won't take my calls, and I sometimes hope he has a new lover—

"OYAJI! OYAJI, WHERE ARE YOU!" Tezuka Kunimitsu was torn from his thoughts when he heard the distressed screams of a young boy lost in the park he was jogging towards. He turned toward the child and what he saw stopped him in his tracks.

It was a little boy, like any other little boy, but something was different. Tezuka took a tentative step in the direction of the green haired, golden eyed boy. He looked about five and scared to death. Tezuka kneeled as the boy looked into Tezuka's eyes and it was like they were having a silent conversation; much like how he used to communicate with _him_. The little boy reached out and pulled off the older man's glasses and gazed into his eyes before smiling and says;

"Oyaji always says that his favorite person wears glasses and his eyes are a really pretty chocolate color. Your eyes are pretty too," Tezuka looked at the little boy; shocked that his words sounded so much like something heard from a certain boy years before. "Excuse me but could you help me find my Oyaji?" Tezuka nodded at the boy. "Thanks! He is about as tall as you and he is carrying a tennis bag over his right shoulder. Also his hair and eyes are the same color as mine,"

Tezuka just shook his head; no way, it couldn't be, _he _couldn't be this boy's father, no way.

"ROTEKI! ROTEKI! WHERE ARE YOU!" Tezuka froze. No way. No freaking way. That's not possible. The little boy looked up suddenly and grinned. Tezuka turned and couldn't believe his eyes. It was him, it was really him.

"Oyaji! I'm right here! You found me!" Roteki ran past the older man who he was talking to. Right into the arms of Tezuka's younger ex-lover; Echizen Ryoma, "Oyaji, this really nice man helped me when I couldn't find you. He has chocolate brown eyes and glasses just like your favorite person!" Ryoma then looked up from the little boy in his arms and his face froze in shock.

"Kuni . . ." The word escaped Ryoma's lips before he could contort his face in disgust, "Thanks for helping my son, I'm leaving now," he turned on his heel and started stalking off till he heard a whisper of sound from the direction of the man who broke his heart in two.

"I'm sorry,"

"It's too late for 'I'm sorry' _buchou _if you wanted to say something like that you should have said it before you watched me get on that plane." The young Echizen then took off, his son in his arms, tennis bag over his shoulder. Running, running, running, wishing he could run away from memories but he hadn't a split step that could do that . . .

"Kunimitsu? Are you alright? You seem like you're daydreaming," The brown haired boy turned to his mother as she addressed him.

"No I'm fine mom, just a bit tired from my jog. I'm going to take a bath after dinner and go to sleep. Do you mind if I spend the night? I'd rather not walk home tonight," his mother smiled at her only son.

"Absolutely Kunimitsu, you are always welcome here," his father grunted in affirmative as well. The young Tezuka bowed in thanks and slipped out to get ready for bed.

_Ryoma . . . he's really back . . . and he has a son, so he must be married . . . but I didn't see a ring. Regardless he hates me for what I did, but if I was him I would hate me too. I just hope that he has a good life now . . . and a partner who is better than I was._

"Oyaji! Oyaji! Quick come look, I can see the star! Come on, come on, come on!" a little green haired boy latched onto his father's leg and tried to yank him away from the sink where he was washing dishes.

"Just a second Roteki, calm down they will still be there in a couple minutes, haha," The twenty-five year old father looked down at his son and chuckled at the pout that he received from a put-out Roteki. "All right, all right, just let me dry my hands and we can go look at the stars." The young boy smiled at ran off to get the telescope from his room in their small apartment. Ryoma smiled as he remembered their discussion about the telescope, he would have to tell his mom about that tomorrow when they go for a visit.

"_But oyaji! This telescope was from your special person! You said that I could bring it anywhere!" Roteki had on his ultra-mega-super pout and Ryoma was fighting an uphill battle._

"_Echizen Roteki, I don't want to have to explain again. We don't have enough room in our new apartment for it. So you either have to give up the telescope or something else," the words slipped out of Ryoma's mouth before he could think about what they meant, Roteki grinned at his father and Ryoma knew he was caught._

"_Okay oyaji I'll give up my Lego collection for the telescope!" Ryoma slapped his palm against his forehead._

"You should have totally seen that one coming," Ryoma's lips tweaked up into a small smirk at his mother's words, " He is definitely your son that is for sure," They were sitting on the porch drinking tea and Ponta watching Roteki play against his grandfather, Nanjiro.

"Yeah he's a really good kid, but sometimes I worry that without a mother he might get picked on or something like that. We had a maid in the US that was a kind of mother to him but when we moved she got another job. I really am worried about him," Ryoma looked at his tennis shoes like they would somehow give him the answers to all of his problems.

"Sweetheart I have no idea what happened with you and Roteki's mother but I know that you are a great dad and nothing can change that. I never expected you to every settle down and have a son, you were always so aloof and when we found out you were gay we really doubted we would ever get grandkids. I still don't understand how Roteki came along because I know your opinions on girls. But I know you will tell me the story when you are ready and that's good enough for me," Rinko smiled and kissed her son on the forehead.

"OYAJI! GRANDPA BEAT ME! NOW I HAVE TWO PEOPLE THAT I NEED TO BECOME STRONGER TO BEAT!" Ryoma grinned at his son, how he was always able to make everything seem better, Ryoma didn't know but he was grateful for it all the same.

"OISHI DID YOU HEAR OCHIBI IS BACK!" a certain red-headed, hyperactive, personal trainer screamed over the phone at his boyfriend.

"Eiji calm down, yes I heard about that we must have a party so we can see if he got a girlfriend in America," The black haired OB/Gen doctor on the other end of the line answered.

"YAY!" there was some mumbling from Eiji's end, "Fuji, Momo, Kaido and Inui say hi! And Fuji said he will go invite Ryoma tomorrow because he knows where he lives! This Saturday! See you at home Oishi!" And with that they hung up and Oishi was rather excited to see the baby of Segaku again.

"Kunimitsu! I've missed you!" Fuji smiled at his best friend since pre-school, "So did you hear the great news? Ryoma's back!" Tezuka simply nodded at his sadistic best friend. It wasn't spoken but the stoic boy could tell that the genius was wondering if Ryoma had contacted him.

"Yes I know, I ran into him in the park," Fuji opened his eyes; something was wrong, but he wasn't going to pry.

"Oh well, just wondering, oh and there is a party this Saturday for Ryoma's home-coming. You _will_ be there." With that the blue eyed tensai stood up and walk out of the coffee shop. Now it was time to tell the young prodigy about this weekend.

_Bzzz_ Fuji was buzzed up to the apartment without even a word from Ryoma. _That's odd, normally I would have to beg or threaten to get into his apartment . . . Why did he just let me in? _The answer came in the form of a small child peeking through the doorway of Ryoma's humble abode. An almost exact carbon-copy of the man Fuji had come to see.

"Roteki? Did you buzz somebody up without my knowing? I told you not to do that, Japan is not the same as . . ." Ryoma trailed off when he saw just who his grinning five year old let in.

"You must be Fuji-sempai! I'm Echizen Roteki Oyaji told me AAAAAAALLLLLL about you and my other uncles!" both adults just stared at the child as if he had grown another head and two more arms.

"Roteki go to your room and make sure that you made your bed," Ryoma did his best to sound firm even though this was not the way he wanted his former sempai to find out he had a son.

"But Daaaaaad"

"No buts go do it now," Roteki bowed his head knowing the tone his father only used when there were no loopholes. He walked off into his room; there was an uncomfortable silence that followed in his wake until Fuji decided to ask.

"I just came over to invite you to a party at the Kawamura sushi restaurant . . . So where is his mother?"

"Probably still whoring over in the US. Want some tea? I'm just about going to make lunch for Roteki and I. I'll explain after I send him outside to play with the people across the street,"

For once the tensai was at a loss for words, the baby of segaku had his own baby, and he just openly admitted it was a prostitute who was the mother. _What happened before he left for the states? Does it have to do with Tezuka's hurt look before? What am I missing?_

"Kayla. Her name is Kayla Smith." Fuji was so lost in thought he hadn't noticed that Roteki had ran out the door saying he would be back for lunch, "She is the older sister of Kevin Smith. He and I became good friends when I moved to America the first time. He heard about my break-up," _That would explain a lot,_ Fuji thought, "and thought that if he hooked me up with his sister that it would make me feel better. He still has no idea that she works as an escort. Anyways long story short I got a call three weeks after our night and she said she needed money for an abortion. I was immensely ticked off that she would think of getting rid of the baby so I made her a deal. She would carry the baby to term, give him to me and never show her face to me again. In return I gave her a million dollars and the promise that I wouldn't tell Kevin that she is a whore. I haven't heard from her in five years so I guess she really didn't want a kid."

They sat there in silence for a while, Fuji thinking about the information just given to him; Ryoma waiting for Fuji to speak.

"Who all knows about Roteki? . . . Does buchou know?"

"My parents know about him and _he_ met Roteki in the park a couple days ago by accident; other than that, just you and Kevin. Please don't say anything until the party, I'm going to take Roteki and explain to them myself," Fuji nodded his head and they sat discussing life until Roteki came back and they all ate lunch together.

"Fuji, nyan? You okay? You've been frowning ever since you visited Ochibi yesterday." The red-headed acrobatic player was hanging off the blue-eyes tensai; all the former regulars where present and accounted for they were just waiting for the youngest to show up so the party could start.

"I'm all right, just thinking. Have you set everything up?" Eiji nodded enthusiastically and bounced away as the front door opened and revealed two figures.

"Hey sempai, sorry we're late; couldn't find a shoe this morning and it messed up our whole schedule," Ryoma announced to everyone there, however nobody was looking at him. All their eyes were glue on the little boy he was giving a piggy-back ride.

"Ahh Ryoma? Who is this?" Oishi asked. Roteki looked shyly at Ryoma and when he got a smile from his father started grinning.

"I'm Echizen Roteki! Oyaji said we were going to meet my uncles today that must be you!" seven pairs of eyes silently stared at the smiling boy for a few seconds until all hell broke loose.

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><p><strong>An Thank you for reading! I hope that you enjoyed it and will leave a review! I'm still writing the next chapter, will probably have it up in April depending on if I'm busy or not. Thank you again for reading my story and I sincerely hope you will read the next chapter when I put it up!**


	2. Uncovering Secrets

**A/n OH. MY GOD. THANK YOU SO MUCH EVERYONE! I totally never expected this many people to like my story so much! Special thanks to PurpleScorpion and animelover4ever69 for the reviews! I have a paragraph at the bottom that is kind interesting but not very important to the story. Anyways thanks so much for coming back for the second chapter! I hope you like it!**

**Do you really think I own PoT? Come on, if I did I wouldn't be putting my writing up on a FAN fiction website.**

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><p>"He really is a good kid," Ryoma nodded at Oishi's comment while watching Eiji, Momo and Roteki playing with chop-sticks, "May I ask where his mother is?" everyone shivered as Fuji's aura darkened.<p>

"Haha, it's okay Fuji. To make a long story short is it was accidental and she will never show up again. Ever," Ryoma replied, unfazed by the question. Smiling as Roteki giggled at Kaido and Momo starting to argue, "He is a really good kid. I really don't know what I would do without him. This morning when I lost my shoe he was the one who found it in the dishwasher. I have no idea how it got there, but that's where it was," all three laughed imagining Ryoma running late one day and trying to put dishes away while putting on his shoes.

"You know according to the data I've written down, he has a high probability of going pro like you did. I can tell by his movements that you have taught him a lot already. He could go to Segaku and keep your family tradition," The group jumped as Inui popped up out of no-where with Tezuka in tow. Ryoma hadn't talked to his ex yet, but it wasn't awkward.

"No, he doesn't want to be a tennis player," confused looks came from every one of the prodigy's friends.

"That's right! I only play to have fun with Oyaji. I really wanna be an astronomer! Watching stars all day long sounds like the best job ever. Oyaji and I always look at the stars through a telescope after the dishes are done. I gave up my Legos so we could keep it in our apartment," Roteki jumped onto his father's back and kissed his cheek.

"You tired buddy? We took a long time shopping and you got up early today," Roteki vigorously shook his head.

"Yadda yadda yadda! I want to stay with uncles for longer!" the 'uncles' laughed at the father-son duo. Ryoma gave a thoughtful expression before smiling. He leaned over to Roteki's ear and whispered something in English. First Roteki seemed confused by his words then his eyes lit up like a Christmas tree.

"CAN WE REALLY! You usually don't let me,"

"Haha, yes and we have to go to grandma and grandpa's tomorrow for Ryoga's birthday. Bye sempai see you around," Ryoma replied walking over to the coat rack.

"YAY! Uncle Ryoga's matches are always the best! Okay we can go, BYE-BYE UNCLES!" Roteki waved grinning at his uncles, still clinging to his father's back like a koala bear. Once the door closed behind the pair silence reigned over the old tennis club members.

"WAAAAAA! Ochibi is all grown up and has his own ochibi!" Eiji wailed in Oishi's arm.

"I suspected something like that was bound to happen when he left for America. The probability of it being an accident and him cutting all ties to the mother is 100%," Inui pushed his glasses up higher onto his nose.

"It is still surprising that he became a father. I am worried about him, so young to have a child and raise it alone"

"Oishi I'm sure he will be alright. I mean he survived five years on his own," Takashi commented. Fuji was uncharacteristically quiet then Eiji had an epiphany.

"YOU KNEW! FUJI YOU KNEW AND YOU DIDN'T TELL US!"

"Why yes I knew, I found out when I went to his apartment a couple days ago. He asked me not to say anything so I agreed. OH! Look at the time, I have a meeting to get to, sorry," the tensai slipped out of the restaurant before any of the others could ask him more about his visit.

"Oyaji, I like my uncles, they are funny! And that one in the corner who didn't talk was the man who found me in the park a couple days ago! But I didn't want to say anything because he looked sort of sad, what do you think was wrong with him?" Roteki rambled as they were riding the bus back home.

"I don't know, maybe you can ask him next time you see him," Roteki nodded his head and yawned, "You can go to sleep baby, I'll wake you up when we get home so you can look at that okay?" the little boy nodded again and slumped onto his father's shoulder. There was an elderly lady on the bus who looked at the pair with a small smile on her face.

"You're boy is very well behaved, you must be a very great father," Ryoma looked up from his son's face and smiled.

"Yes, he is a very good boy. I don't believe I've ever had problems with him,"

"I'm sure his mother is proud too," such an innocent statement. Of course people asked Ryoma about Roteki's mother, but never had it really impacted him like that. It was like a back-hand across the face. Roteki would be curious about his mother soon. He would ask questions and want to know things. What would he think when he finds out his own father had to _pay _for his mother not to have an abortion? _Oh, great! Another crap load of problems for me to deal with,_ Ryoma thought irritably.

"Yes mam, she is very proud of her little boy," what would it hurt to lie to somebody I will probably never meet again in my lifetime?

"Next stop Gaku Avenue! Gaku Avenue!"

"That's us, come on Roteki it's our stop," Ryoma shook his son; nothing. Not even a mumble or a grunt, the young father shook his head and slung the child onto his back and carried him up to his room and laid him down. When Roteki didn't relinquish his unconscious hold on his father, Ryoma slipped off their pants, lay by his son and they both fell asleep.

As the sun streamed through the windows Ryoma became aware of two things. One, he was not in his own bed, the little rockets on the sheets were a dead giveaway and two that his son was not by his side like he was last night. After a miniature heart-attack distinctive giggling was heard from the living room. After stumbling out of his son's room and walking toward the noise Ryoma found the cause of the laughter. Momo was laying on the floor, tennis ball stuffed in his mouth and hands tied behind his back. Roteki was standing over his captive with a scolding look and Eiji was trying not to laugh too loud lest the same fate befall him.

" . . . Um, what happened here?"

"OYAJI! Momo tried to wanted to talk to you but you needed to sleep so I made sure he couldn't wake you up!" Roteki grinned up at his father and Momo finally managed to dislodge the makeshift gag.

"Your child is crazy Echizen! I just wanted to ask if you want to play some tennis. It's me and Eiji-sempai's day off you up for it?"

"Um . . . Let me finish waking up first . . . Roteki did you have breakfast? I'm gonna make some French toast,"

"But you haven't let me look through the books yet! You _promised_!" Roteki whined.

"Go get them then Roteki, you can look at them while eating as long as you don't get syrup on the pictures." Roteki disappeared into the master bedroom while Momo and Eiji sent a confused look at Ryoma, "If you guys are hungry I can make some French toast for you as well."

"Has your cooking gotten _any _better than before? Because your cooking _sucked_ in high school,"

"HEY! Oyaji's cooking is _great_! He always cooks and says that mommy loved his cooking when I was in her tummy," Roteki interjected as he wobbled into the room weighed down by two very heavy looking scrap books. Eiji ran over to help the little boy lug the books to the table and open the first one.

"NYAN! You kept these scrap-books Sakuno made you! I thought you would have gotten rid of them," Ryoma shook his head as he began cooking and the other three inhabitants of the kitchen looked through the old pictures of Segaku middle and high school.

"WOW! Oyaji that was so cool! I've never seen tennis like that, how come they never became professionals also? And what about the other uncles, why didn't they go pro?" Ryoma and Roteki were walking back from the park where they had played tennis with Momo and Eiji, it was getting close to dinner time and they both were very hungry.

"Well, Eiji has a doubles partner, Oishi, and Oishi wanted to be a baby doctor so Eiji decided to become a personal trainer. Fuji prefers to take pictures than be the one people take pictures of. Momo didn't like the pressure of tournaments and stuff; he prefers to play for fun, like you. Takeshi got to inherit his family sushi bar, Inui became a scientist and Kaido . . . I don't really know what Kaido does. I guess they all had something that they loved more," Ryoma explained, Roteki nodded and was silent for a while.

"Oyaji . . . What about the last uncle? Why don't you ever talk about him? Even at the party you didn't even look at him," Roteki looked up as his heard his father's humming grow quiet. They walked a while in silence till Ryoma finished gathering his thoughts.

"You know you are too smart for your own good sometimes . . . Tezuka . . . Tezuka and I . . . It's complicated. But he became a surgeon after school, because of an old shoulder and elbow injury his lover convinced him to just play for fun . . ."

"Oh, okay! Well I hope we can go play tennis with them again soon, uncle Momo and uncle Eiji are really funny! Haha,"

"Yeah Roteki, I hope we can do this again also,"

It had been over a month since the welcome back party and life was slowly beginning to fall back into a normal routine. Roteki, however, was still curious about his uncle Tezuka who was the only one who never visited. The little boy would ask questions about him but every time his father would freeze up and no matter how much begging Roteki couldn't get any answers. Until one Saturday Roteki stumbled upon more than he bargained for.

"Roteki I'm gonna go out with Fuji for a while, stay home and stay out of trouble, I'll be back soon I promise," Ryoma said leaning through the doorframe of his son's room.

"Okay oyaji, I'll probably just look through the scrapbooks again and then play next door. I love you oyaji," when Roteki heard the sound of the door clicking shut and the sound of the deadbolt sliding home he jumped up and ran into his father's room. After opening the closet he reached up to grab the old photo books, but in the process he knocked down a small box that spilled its contents on the floor.

As he bent down to retrieve the pictures that spilled, something caught his eye. It was just a normal picture, but it was the people in the picture that made him double-take. In it was his father holding hands with Tezuka as they were eating an ice cream cone. Tezuka had a smear of the frozen treat across his nose with a disgruntled look on his face and Ryoma was about to burst into laughter. Roteki's eyes widened as he dropped onto his knees the floor old scrap-books forgotten; he had just found something better.

"Hey Ryoma! How is Roteki?"the blue eyed photographer smiled as his favorite kohai walk over to their table at the small café.

"He's still at home, I just wanted to talk to you about . . . Tezuka and he doesn't need to know about that,"

Fuji opened his eyes, surprised that Ryoma wanted to talk about _that._ "I have been curious about what happened between you two Ryoma . . . After high school I know you moved in together and you both seemed really happy . . . Then one day you just were gone. No good-bye, nothing . . ."

Ryoma sighed; maybe he wasn't ready for this . . . maybe he hadn't healed from the hurt yet. No, he had to get this out; he couldn't let the past keep creeping up on him. He had to let it out or he would break, then who would take care of Roteki. This needed to be said. Ryoma needed something to help his wounds stop bleeding.

"Well, I guess we were happy it just . . . I don't know, something didn't seem right with him. He acted like he was guilty of something . . ." Fuji sat back in his chair, knowing this would be a long conversation.

Meanwhile Roteki sat on the carpet floor of his father's room staring at the twenty or some pictures, all of his oyaji and Tezuka. In some they were holding hands, others they were looking into each other's eyes and in very few they were kissing. Most surprising of all; they were _all _candid shots. In the box was also many ticket stubs for movies and theme parks. At the very bottom Roteki found what looked like a college assignment.

With shaking hands he slipped the paper out of its envelope and slowly read the contents, his eyes widening slowly until he finished reading the heartfelt words. He looked over at the stack of pictures he had organized from newest to oldest, and understood what his father meant by saying it was complicated.

Fuji stared, dumbfounded as Ryoma poured out his heart to the one person who he never used to trust, "But Fuji . . . I think I still love him,"

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><p><strong>An DUN DUN DUN! What's gonna happen next? Stick around for the next chapter and you'll find out! And here is my blathering about how it was the write this rather irritaing chapter:**

**At the beginning of writing this chapter I had already typed up and revised the way that I wanted Tezuka and Ryoma's confrontation to be like. Then came the part where I had to bridge the first chapter to the fight. It was really slow going in the beginning and I began to kind of beat my head against a wall in frustration because I just couldn't get it right. I probably deleted more paragraphs than there are in this entire chapter. Finally I just stepped back and looked at the story I had going and thought to myself "IDIOT! I merely need someone to push him in the right direction until he snaps and something happens," Then came the questions of who would push him, how would they push him, would Roteki find out or would Ryoma have to explain later? The this idea popped into my head and I though I AM A GENIOUS! Kill two birds with one stone, so to speak. Haha so anyways this is what you end up with and I ended up completely deleting what I had already written because it made me want to punch something, the writing was terrible and I couldn't go anywhere with it. So some major shinanagins are going to go down in the next chapter and I might make it so that you want to cry but I don't know. All I am positive about is that it will be really sweet and so bring your tooth-brushes. And don't worry I will explain the college assignment later :) **

**To clarify I would like to say that when Ryoma whispered into Roteki's ear he was promising to look through the scrap-books. Also Fuji had taken the pictures in the box but Ryoma couldn't bring himself to throw them out so he hid them from Roteki.**

**Please review! Any and all flames will be used to make cookies to give to Roteki and the reviewers! **


	3. Hearts Rebreaking

**A/n Well now what do we have here? Another chapter? Well now Clover aren't you a great author not letting you readers wait extremely long for an update xD haha jkjk but I am totally sorry, I would have updated sooner it was just with traveling to mandatory state-wide testing (I live in a place where you have to take a boat or helicopter to the nearest town) and my laptop melting its power cord I've had some troubles so just consider yourselves lucky I keep my stories on a jump-drive or you might have had to wait even longer xD haha Well I think I've rambled long enough so with the story ONWARD! FORWARD!**

**There will be reviewer replies at the end of the chapters from this chapter on.**

**Nope don't own Prince of Tennis, why would you even think I did?**

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><p>"Okay Ryoma, I'll see you later. I hope you tell Roteki, he needs to know what happened," Fuji said as they left the Café.<p>

"No, he has too much on his shoulders already. He doesn't need to think that he can solve my problems,"

"If he is as smart as you say he is, I'll bet you he already found out. Eventually he will start digging and you won't be able to hide it," Ryoma shook his head and opened his mouth, but Fuji didn't let him argue, "And don't give me any of that 'he is only five' crap. He is immensely intelligent and he understands human emotions better than most adults . . . At least _think _about telling him," Ryoma looked down as if the sidewalk would have the answers to all his problems.

" . . . I'll think about it. See you later," As the young green-haired father walked away Fuji watched his back slowly disappear around a corner.

_God Tezuka you are so stupid. How could you have ever let him go when he was trying his hardest to hold on to you? _Fuji shook his head in disappointment, a_nd people say that Momo is the dense one._

It wasn't until eight months later that Roteki had hatched a plan that would force together his oyaji and uncle Tezuka. His sixth birthday had come and gone and his seventh was halfway there, so he thought he had given them _both _enough time to get back together themselves. His idea was genius, it was perfect, and it was totally idiot proof. Unfortunately he forgot to take into account that his father was very, very unobservant.

His plan was very simple, he was just going to leave Tezuka's college paper out in the open and have Ryoma read it then Ryoma would realize just how much Tezuka loved him and they would get back together. Well every time Roteki took it out, Ryoma wouldn't notice the papers and would go on about his day.

Finally Roteki got sick of his father being an unobservant fool and got serious. It was time to bring Fuji into the equation.

"OYAJI!" Ryoma's head snapped over to where his son was standing in the kitchen doorway, one hand on his hip, the other holding an envelope. "You and uncle Tezuka are being idiots, you both totally love each other but won't do anything about it!" The young father's eyes widened to small dinner plates, "No, don't say anything, I found out over half a year ago and I'm sick of you two dancing around each other! Just tell him what you feel already! If you are just gonna sit here and not at least _try _to fix things then just get rid of that box of pictures already. Because with the way you're acting now it doesn't seem like you ever cared about him. And don't even bother reading this because obviously it won't mean ANYTHING to you!" Roteki threw the envelope at his stunned father and stomped off to his room, where Fuji was trying not to laugh at the act the six year-old just put on.

"Do you really think he will read it Fuji?" Roteki looked up at his uncle in concern.

"Trust me, he will read it once he gets over his shock," Fuji said as they both sat down to wait.

Ryoma just sat there, stunned at all the information that was just thrown at him. Roteki knew about him and Tezuka; knew that Ryoma still loved him; knew about the box of pictures. But what was Roteki talking about, not reading something. The Golden-eyed man looked down at the envelope on his lap. It seemed to be for a Language Arts college assignment. With shaking hands he pulled the papers out and gasped at the name at the top; _Tezuka Kunimitsu._ Slowly he began to read the rest of it.

**Short Essay; Write at least two paragraphs about your two biggest fears.**

_Most people would look at me and think that I have no fears. I will admit that there are not many things that frighten me; however there are two things that scare me to the point of nightmares. Both involve my lover. He is a very strong and independent person who is an absolute heart-throb. That scares me, a lot. I constantly worry that he will realize that no matter how much he thinks it, he might not love me; he could leave me and not ever worry about getting a boyfriend or girlfriend. Most people would say I'm just being immature or insecure, but it really frightens me to think he would ever really leave and not ever come back. _

_My other fear is that I would ever hold him back. He has amazing dreams for his future; he wants to be a professional tennis player and has talent to do it. He is going to America and winning tournaments, and he has plans to go to Europe and win Wimbledon. It makes me proud to know that I have such a strong boyfriend. But I don't want to hold him back. He always promises to come home on weekends, and he does. But it makes me feel so selfish that he keeps coming home when he should be focusing on his dream of being number one. With those selfish feelings are fears that because he is focusing on me, he is losing time to practice. I am holding him back from accomplishing his dreams. But I am too much of a spoiled, selfish creature to help him realize that more time spent with me is less time on the tennis courts. Those are my biggest fears, but if it means that I can hold him in my arms I'm willing to trade the world and more._

Ryoma's eyes read over the last sentence once, twice, three times. Until his brain finally realized what it actually meant. In that one moment of comprehension, all thoughts of being a responsible adult; a responsible parent, went out the window. As he threw on a windbreaker and his sneakers he threw a quick 'good-bye, love you, lock the door,' over his shoulder to Roteki and bolted to the one place he knew he would get any answers; the condominium he never thought he would return to.

"Will he be alright uncle Fuji?" Roteki looked with concerned eyes at the papers hastily dropped onto the floor from his father's quick exit.

"Now that he knows the truth, yes he will be alright. Hopefully better than alright . . . Why don't we go look at the stars?" Fuji responded gently pushing Roteki toward the small balcony that held his telescope. Roteki looked reluctant but eventually gave in, but he couldn't focus on any of the constellations. Instead his mind was filled with doubt, _did I really make the right choice?_

Ryoma's rubber-soled shoes pounded against the pavement as he ran towards a building he had run _away _from about seven years ago. He came up to the gate that enclosed the compound and cursed as he remembered that Tezuka always opened the gate for him. Just as he was about to give up he saw the American couple who lived next door to Tezuka. They were two of the few people who actually knew about what happened when the green-haired man showed up at late hours of the night. They also knew how their young neighbor changed after Ryoma stopped showing up. How he became melancholy and drew farther into himself.

"BRENDA! BRENDA! JOHN!" They both looked over with wide eyes at Ryoma, "Please! I made a huge mistake I need to talk to Kunimitsu! Please!" whether it was his disheveled appearance or the regretful, almost wild look in his eye, they opened up the gate and watched him run to Tezuka's door and use the hide-a-key to get inside; thoughtfully looking at each other as if asking if they made the right decision.

Tezuka had just gotten off the phone with the hospital when a panting, untidy Ryoma burst through his door with a crazy look in his eye. The surgeon watched wide eyed as Ryoma caught his breath.

"Why! Why did you let me go? If you really loved me as much as you said, if you really are as selfish and spoiled as you claim then why did you ever let me go?" those golden eyes swelled with unshed tears and Tezuka felt his heart being ripped out for the second time in his life, "You said that you were willing to trade more than the world for me, did you find it? Did you find something more than the world!" Tezuka's brown eyes widened in realization and he opened his mouth to speak but Ryoma ploughed on ahead, tears streaming down his face, "I hope you really did find it! Your 'world and more' because if it wasn't because of that then you are no better than any of the other ass-holes I've dated. Men and women who all lied to me just to use me and throw me out like yesterday's garbage!"

Kunimitsu suddenly felt an emotion boiling inside him that he hadn't ever felt before; rage. Pure, unbridled, unfeeling rage, Ryoma had compared him to something he was not. When he spoke his voice was calm, unwavering and frosty.

"I _never_ used you Ryoma, don't you _dare_ accuse me of that. I loved you more than anything don't _ever _think anything I said was false. Watching you walk out was the hardest thing I have ever done in my _life_. I still regret it, but I can't rewind the past and do it differently," Tezuka turned toward his bedroom and walked inside, just as he was about to closed the door he looked over at his ex-lover.

"And yes, I found something that means more to me than the world. Your happiness; your dreams; that is my world and more, and I was getting in the way of those dreams," And he slammed the door.

Ryoma just sat there on the floor letting the stoic man's words sink in. Then he sat there for more time trying to get over his shock. _Tezuka left me because of my dreams? He thought that he was getting in the way of my tennis? Is that what he meant that day that I left? How did I not see that! _

Ryoma finally got off the floor and slowly walked out the door in a daze. Too many questions swirling in his head at once, Brenda and John were still outside waiting to see what would happen. They saw Ryoma sway as fatigue began to overpower him. With one last lurch forward he crumpled to the ground, luckily John managed to grab him before he hit his head.

_What have I done? _Ryoma thought before blackness engulfed him.

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><p><strong>An Clover did you seriously just give them that cliff-hanger? I mean really how mean can you get? I though you said that Ryoma and Tezuka would get together in this chapter! Well I decided to stop it there because in the next chapter some more crap is going to go down that involves ANOTHER CHARACTER~! However this mysterious person has been mentioned before. Thank you so much everyone who has read my story and Alert/favorite-ed it. It absolutely makes my day when I get on my email and know that people liked my story :) Now on to replying to reviews:**

**animelover4ever69 ~ Thank you for a follow-up review and yes I know just how it is with kids understanding some things that most adults don't think they should know about. It makes me kinda sad that children are slowly becoming more mature than some adults.**

**aku no tensai ~ Haha xD your review made me laugh so hard when I first read it! Yes I am totally going to continue this story because I have LOTS of ideas of where I could take this and I JUST LOVE PILLAR PAIR! And yes I made Roteki seem much more mature and intelligent than most five year olds because when I was five my mom had me doing first/second grade school work and I'm kinda OCD so I would organize things that most kids wouldn't. So in that way I kind of made Roteki like me. I think that I pretty much explained why Tezuka didn't ever confront Ryoma when I had Ryoma have his breakdown and shit. And I just HAD to make Fuji a sort of confidant in this story because I want him and Roteki to get in trouble together later xD haha Thank you so much for noticing that I spelled genius wrong haha. Genius and intelligent are the two words I can never spell right! I normally spell genius wrong because when I say it I drag the word out so it sounds like 'genious' like genie-ous haha xD Thank you so much for the compliments and I hope you liked Ryoma's mental breakdown xD haha**

**pinaygurl28 ~ Thank you x) and I know there are totally not enough pillar pair stories out there! Echizen, Our Buchou and Life After Segaku are both AMAZING pillar pairs stories! **

**THANK YOU EVERYONE ELSE! I hope you liked the new chapter! Please review and favorite! Flames will be used to bake cookies for reviewers!**


	4. Authors Note and Sneak Peek

**There will be a small sneak peak at the end of this authors note so please read this all the way through and review!**

Oh my god I am SOOOO SORRY! My life has just been so crazy lately; I got behind on my home school and I'm working all summer at a camp in Alaska so I won't have any access to internet so you won't be able to get updates until August probably. I finally got to see all my friends because I just moved and my sisters having a baby and my brother might have a kid who is in OSC custody right now and just everything is CRAZY!

I really wish that I had the spark for this story but I think I started it too fast and burned out but I have some ideas for what I want to happen which I'll mention later. Also I have been writing SasuNaru Mpreg because I have some great one-shot ideas for them. I have about three already that need to be posted up but I haven't done it yet. So sorry but this story has kinda been pushed on the back burner for now. But it is not over I promise! I _will_ be back writing this it just might take a while for me to get back into the groove.

Now for the ideas I have for this story. Any of three things I might make happen;

1) Tezuka and Ryoma get back together and I write one-shots about their life after (possibly about Roteki finding his mother and them adopting another child?)

2) Tezuka and Ryoma get back together and I write more chapters about Roteki's mother trying to take Roteki away from Ryoma.

3) Tezuka and Ryoma get back together and I end the story there.

Okay those are your options please vote on which way I should take this story because I NEED SOME FEEDBACK! PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE! Also I will not update until I get at least ten votes I know you are out there reading, just a little sentence saying if you liked it or not would be good THANK YOU!

**SNEAK PEEK!**

"What happened to us?" Gold eyes searched a stoic face, "I mean what really happened to us? It seems like everything was perfect one day and the next I was on a plane to America trying not to cry,"

All was silent for a moment and they heard the sound of Roteki laughing at something in the other room.

"I think we let our guard down," Gold eyes snapped back up to brown.

"That's the point though! You should be able to let your guard down with the person you love. You should be able to not have to worry about appearances because the other will love you no matter what; no matter the hard times or the times you want to kill them. You will always love them and they will always love you," Silence again reigned.

"At least that's what I used to think. I'm not so sure anymore." Both men looked away from each other, lost in thought.

"Do you want to try?" confusion flickered across the elder's face, "Do you want to try letting our guard down around each other? Try to not worry about appearances? Because I know never stopped loving you, can you fall back into love with me, Kunimitsu?"

A small smile spread across the stoic man's face and he leaned in to kiss his lover.

"OYAJI! YOU HAVE TO COME SEE THIS!" Roteki burst through the door ruining the moment and dragging Ryoma out with a chuckling Kunimitsu following behind.

**END SNEAK PEEK! **

Don't you just love Roteki's perfect timing! :D haha I know everyone was waiting for the moment Tezuka and Ryoma confessed to each other and I figured if you wouldn't get an update the ENTIRE SUMMER I might as well give you a treat xD Tell me if you like it and for all you SasuNaru Mpreg fans please go check out the one-shots I will be putting up soon and remember **if I don't get ten reviews/votes by the end of the summer it will take longer for an update! Love you all!**


	5. Building Bridges

**Oh my god I am so sorry. I totally lost all hope in this story for a while, but tonight I got a spark of inspiration and finished it. I. Finished. It. I have no good enough excuse for not updating sooner except that my gateway crapped out on me so I got a Mac and started using pages. However stupid me didn't realize that a pages document couldn't be uploaded onto and just last week I found out how to export a pages document into a word document and *scream* I WAS JUST ABSOLUTELY HATING THIS STORY! SO this has not been edited at all. I have just finished dragging it out of the recesses of my mind and typed it up. It is pretty much shitty and I kind of hate it but I have fallen out of love with this story and I just wanted it to end. **_  
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**So I apologize for any spelling/grammar errors and I hope you forgive me for the wait. Without further a-due, the LAST chapter of When a Lover Comes Back . . .  
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><p><em>It was dark where Ryoma was standing. He groped around until he gripped a door handle. As he opened the door, light spilled in, he discovered he was in a closet and voices could be heard outside. He opened the door to find Kunimitsu and himself arguing in the older mans condo. <em>What is going on? _he though, _am I having a flashback in third person?

"_Ryoma, you know that I love you, that I love us. But you need to focus on your tennis if you want to go pro," Kunimitsu spoke quietly trying to calm his younger lover._

"_Does that mean you think that I'm not _good enough_ to go pro? I thought you were the one who _wanted _me to follow my dreams!" dream Ryoma was much less conscious of how loud he was._

"_That is not what I said Ryo and you know that," the tall man sighed and took off his glasses to wipe them off, "I just want you to do your best and you coming home every weekend is distracting from tennis,"_

"_So now you are going to lecture me about jet lag too? Thanks but I already have a coach for that and you are _not _my buchou anymore. I don't need you!" dream Ryoma spat out, grabbed his bag from the couch and ran out the door. Future Ryoma ran after him trying to talk to him, trying to tell him to go back, that this was all a misunderstanding._

"_No you idiot! Go back to him! It was all a mistake you have to hear me, you are making the worst decision of your life!" future Ryoma was frantic, screaming at his dream self to go back and make up with Kunimitsu, "No go back! GO BACK!"_

Ryoma sat bolt upright in an unfamiliar bed screaming. His breath was fast and shallow then Brenda came rushing in.

"Calm down Ryoma, it's okay your safe now," she cradled him in her arms, "Your safe I promise," and the younger man began to cry. He cried for his lost love and everything else that had gone wrong since then. Thirty minutes later he finally calmed down enough to realize that he had left his son at home all night without an adult.

"I'm sorry Brenda, John but I have to go. Roteki is probably worried sick about me. Thank you so much for saving me last night I can't thank you enough," with that he left as quickly as possible. Hoping they wouldn't ask about what happened.

Kunimitsu was woken up by his cell phone, his eyes were crusted from tears and he had slept in his clothes. He covered his head with a pillow hoping that the annoyance would go away. But whoever was calling was persistent. They were going to get ahold of him no matter what. Finally he rolled over and growled into the phone.

"What do you want,"

"It's just me Tezuka, you know, best friend since pre-school, sadistic male who will hurt you if you don't loose the attitude," Fuji's voice sounded much too chipper for five in the morning, "Anyways I heard that Ryoma paid you a visit last night and it didn't go well. I only have one thing to say to you. Fix it. If you don't it will be the worst mistake you have ever made," the photographer then hung up, leaving a confused surgeon with a phone to his ear. Now much to confused to go back to sleep.

It wasn't until five days after that eventful day of confrontation that Ryoma and Kunimitsu were forced to be together in the same room. The old team was throwing a party for Kawamura who just found out his wife was pregnant.

The whole party was awkward, with Ryoma and Kunimitsu trying to avoid each other and Roteki trying to get them to talk. After it was over Fuji and Kunimitsu walked home together.

"You do know you are an idiot right?" Fuji spoke softly, making the words have just that much more bite. Tezuka didn't reply so the tensai went on, "You both love each other so why are you fighting it? I think that you are just scared. Scared of the vulnerability you show to Ryoma and the potential he has to hurt you. But I guess if you are just to afraid of love then just keep on avoiding the issue and make the worst decision of your life,"

Those words stopped Tezuka in his tracks. As Fuji kept walking on, the brown hair man made his choice. He turned on his heel, and ran.

Ryoma was surprised to hear a knock on his door after just having been with his friends he wondered who it could be. As he opened his apartment he saw Kunimitsu standing there and tried to slam it closed.

"Ryoma wait please, me need to talk. I promise I will leave if you want me to but I just want to talk," the pleading tone of voice cracked Ryoma's anger and he slowly opened the door. They stood looking at each other for a while until Ryoma jerked his head to the hallway leading to the bedrooms.

"We'll talk in there. I don't need Roteki to hear this," they both walked through the living room where Roteki was watching cartoons and Ryoma shut the door behind them. Both were silent for a while.

"What happened to us?" Gold eyes searched a stoic face, "I mean what really happened to us? It seems like everything was perfect one day and the next I was on a plane to America crying my eyes out,"

All was silent for a moment and they heard the sound of Roteki laughing at something in the other room.

"I think we let our guard down," Gold eyes snapped back up to brown.

"That's the point though! You should be able to let your guard down with the person you love. You should be able to not have to worry about appearances because the other will love you no matter what; no matter the hard times or the times you want to kill them. You will always love them and they will always love you," Silence again.

"At least that's what I used to think. I'm not so sure anymore." Both men looked away from each other, lost in thought.

"Do you want to try?" confusion flickered across the elder's face, "Do you want to try letting our guard down around each other? Try to not worry about appearances? Because I know never stopped loving you, can you fall back into love with me, Kunimitsu?"

A small smile spread across the stoic man's face and he leaned in to kiss his lover.

"OYAJI! YOU HAVE TO COME SEE THIS!" Roteki burst through the door ruining the moment and dragging Ryoma out with a chuckling Kunimitsu following behind.

Later that evening as all three males sat around the TV watching childrens cartoons. Kunimitsu watched his love snuggle up with his son. All he could think was.

_Fuji was right. I am an idiot, but at least we will try to fix this together._

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><p><strong>Boom, done. It is finished, please review and tell me how it was. I will probably write a few one-shots in the next two years about their lives but no promises. I am sorry for getting all your hopes up to totally let them all down with this shit-tastic chapter. I hope you can forgive me. Until next story! <strong>

**~Mad Hatter~Clover~**


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